North Carolina Store has Sole

From MountainTimes.com:

Who would have thought that just by doing a little spring cleaning in your closet you could help change the world? The people at Soles4Souls had just that idea.

In 2004, just after the tsunami devastated coastal communities around the Indian Ocean, a loosely-knit group of individuals and organizations came together to assist in the recovery effort by providing one of the most basic needs for people who have lost everything – shoes.

By the time Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. Gulf Coast, the group was more organized, and through their efforts, almost a million pairs of shoes were collected to help those in Louisiana and Mississippi.

High Country residents can help with efforts to aid victims around the world by bringing gently-used or new shoes to the Mast General Store now through May 31.

“We saw this as a great opportunity to involve both our employees and our home communities,” said Fred Martin, vice president of the Mast General Store. “Most of us have shoes that are just taking up space in the bottom of our closets. Why shouldn’t they go to help those in need?”

This is the second year for the Soles4Souls shoe drive at Mast Store. Last year’s efforts garnered more than 2,000 pairs of shoes. Representatives from Soles4Souls commented that they love seeing such a successful retailer-driven shoe drives.

Soles4Souls can use just about any type of shoe – boots, sandals, dress shoes, work boots, etc. They should be gently-used or new. Bind them together with rubber bands and place them in the Soles4Souls collection boxes at any Mast Store location now until May 31.

For more information, call the Mast General Store in Boone at (828) 262-0000 or Valle Crucis at (828) 963-6511 or visit www.Soles4Souls.org.

HealthyShoeStore.com and TOSH Shoe Drive

HealthyShoeStore.com in cooperation with Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital recently put on a highly successful shoe drive, collecting 1250 pairs of shoes to be donated to Soles4Soles and distributed to needy children and adults in the U.S. and abroad.

The Thousand Oaks Soles4Soles shoe donation drive was organized and administrated by Podiatrist Jeff Hurless, who serves as the medical director of HealthyShoeStore.com and a podiatrist and foot surgeon on staff at Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital (TOSH).

"Working with Dr. Hurless in this shoe drive has been a wonderful experience for our staff and community; the support has been impressive," stated Michael D. Bass, chief executive officer of Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital. "Knowing that we've played a part in touching the lives of over 1200 people is truly an honor."

Spurred by the dedication of HealthyShoeStore.com and TOSH employees, the entire Thousand Oaks community pooled their resources and concentrated their efforts to ensure that the Soles4Soles shoe drive would be a success.

In addition to the participation of HealthyShoeStore.com and hospital employees, local area middle schools, churches, and doctor's offices all played a role in collecting donations and spreading the word about the donation campaign to the community at large.

UPS was generous enough to donate a large portion of the cost of shipping the 1250 shoes to the Soles4Soles west coast distribution center in Las Vegas, NV.

Dr. Hurless was both surprised and grateful for the extent of the community's involvement in the drive.

"The combined efforts of my office, TOSH, and overwhelming individual contributions from the community made this shoe drive a true success," stated Dr. Jeffrey Hurless, "Thank you to everyone who participated."

Soles4Souls Collecting Shoes at "Middle Half" Run

Registration for the Murfreesboro Half Marathon presented by Middle Tennessee Medical Center begins May 1, 2008. Soles4Souls will be collecting new and gently worn shoes at the second annual "Middle Half" run held in October. Last year’s race sold out with 1000 participants in only 34 days.

“We’ve increased the limit to 2000 runners and lowered the age limit to 14,” said Natalie Tate, race director. “Last year we wanted to learn how to conduct a race on a smaller scale with fewer runners. We’re ready for more participants this year.”

New features are being added for the 2008 race. Spectators along the course are encouraged to cheer on the runners with signs and music. Admission is free to the MTSU Track and Soccer field where the runners will cross the finish line.

This year, look for Soles4Souls donation boxes to drop off your unwanted shoes. Runners and spectators are encouraged to bring all styles and sizes of men's, woman's and kids footwear.

Runners may register online at http://www.themiddlehalf.com/.

24 Hour Fitness and Soles4Souls celebrates Earth Day in Texas

24 Hour Fitness has announced that they have joined forces with Soles4Souls in a statewide shoe trade-in event. Beginning last Tuesday in honor of Earth Day, all 24 Hour Fitness clubs throughout Texas invite members and guests to bring in their old, new, or "gently used" shoes to be recycled for those in need.

"We are delighted to partner with 24 Hour Fitness and give people another way to recycle their shoes," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "Far too many shoes already end up in our landfills when they could benefit a person in need, and our friends at 24 Hour Fitness recognize that giving people an easy and fun way to participate will help reduce the strain on our environment," he said.

People interested in learning more about the Earth Day partnership between 24 Hour Fitness and Soles4Souls can visit http://www.giveshoes.org/ or stop by one of the 71 participating 24 Hour Fitness clubs throughout Texas. Shoe donations will be accepted through June 7, 2008. To find a convenient 24 Hour Fitness location in your area, log on to: http://www.24hourfitness.com/ or call 1-800-224-0240.

University Students seek to Collect 10,000 pair

The students, faculty and staff of Binghamton University are partnering with Soles4Souls to collect 10,000 pairs of shoes to benefit orphans, victims of natural disasters and others in need.

Donation drop boxes have been placed in every residence hall across campus and the six-week drive will be concluding May 9th, the last day of classes.

Soles4Souls collects shoes of every style, size and for any event, although sneakers are often the most needed.

Soles4Souls on Well Fed Network

The Well Fed Network is a compilation of blogs focused normally on high quality food and wine-based content.

This week, they put their utensils and glasses away to help people with their spring cleaning. This is usually the time of year people want to reduce clutter and create more closet space. The WFN spotlighted great places to recycle all kinds of items and keep them out of landfills.

Soles4Souls was mentioned as the place to donate your gently worn shoes. Donating your unused shoes eliminates clutter, saves room in our landfills and it helps someone in need.

Calling All (Tennessee) Runners!

The Inaugural Soles4Souls 10K Run and 5K Run/Walk was listed in Runner's World (www.RunnersWorld.com) -- one of the premier publications in the world of running. The event will be held on SATURDAY, Sept 13, 2008, at the Metro Center Greenway 2214 Rosa L. Parks Blvd (Formally MetroCenter Blvd.), in Nashville , TN.

For more information, please contact our guru of running, KIRK KELLERHALS, at kirkk@soles4souls.org.

Here's a description of the Event & Course:

COMPETITION WALK/RUN: 5K 4:30pm
COMPETITION RUN/RACE: 10K 5:00pm

Fast, flat certified MetroCenter courses that include both surface streets and the beautiful waterfront of the MetroCenter Greenway. USATF Course Certified. CHAMPIONSHIP TIMING Each participant will receive a "Technical" commemorative shirt. Post race refreshments. Door prize drawings for participants after the race. Awards will be given to top 3 finishes overall, and 5 year age groups to 80 +. Awards include running gear and entries into local 1/2 Marathons and other local running events! Whether you run, walk, or crawl across the finish line of the 10 or 5 K event, you will be eligible for the random grand prize drawing for an expenses paid trip to the P.F. Chang's Arizona Rock and Roll Marathon or 1/2 Marathon in January 2009!!! PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT "Soles4Souls". Please bring a pair of shoes to donate to help the Soles4Souls mission!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1565416

Central Baptist Church Shoe Drive

In the early 1990s, Rick Clark, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Anderson County, KY, learned first-hand of the urgent need for decent shoes in some parts of the world. So when the convention with which his church is affiliated urged member churches to become involved with Soles4Souls, Clark stepped forward and got involved.

"I've never forgotten our interpreter when we were on a mission in Africa," Clark said, as he displayed a pair of sandals made from an old car tire. "He was wearing these. I said, 'if I buy you a new pair, can I have these?'"

The Central Baptist Church has collected 392 pair of shoes to date. Their goal is to collect 1,000 pair by the end of April.

"We need good, clean, used or new shoes, we will take all types and sizes" Clark said. "The contributions will be used in the U.S. and around the world."

Drop the shoes off 24 hours a day, seven days a week at Central Baptist Church, on the U.S. 127 Bypass near the Franklin/Anderson County line, or call (502) 829-5013 or (502) 319-0903 to have someone pick them up.

-Jay Cason
The Anderson News

Maggie Anne Shoe Drive

The Maggie Anne Shoppe in Hillsdale, MI is hosting a shoe drive to benefit Soles4Souls. The drive began March 26th at the boutique at 50 N. Howell St., Hillsdale, and will end April 12.

During the shoe drive, Maggie Anne’s will be offering a 15 percent discount for shoes to all customers who bring in new or gently worn pairs of shoes toward the effort.

“I have been looking for a great cause to get involved in and when this one came across my desk, I knew it was one Maggie Anne’s would be proud to participate in,” said Patti Bailey, store co–owner.

Bailey said people don’t have to take advantage of the store discount to participate.

“They can just donate shoes they don’t need, whether it’s men’s, women’s or children’s shoes,” she said.

The Nashville–based Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of both new and used shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide, said Wayne Elsey, founder of Soles4Souls.

“We are thrilled that Maggie Anne’s is acting on our behalf to spread joy to people, both here in the United States and around the world,” Elsey said in a press release. “It is only because of proactive retail stores, such as Maggie Anne’s that we are able to accomplish our goal of getting shoes on the feet of people who need them most.”

Employee Norma Moore said she looks forward to participating in the shoe drive as a way to do some spring cleaning while benefiting others.

“It’s real important to see these kinds of drives,” Moore said. “We’re so lucky to have what we have. I know my closet is full of shoes I no longer need. It’s good knowing that shoes I don’t use can be used for someone else who needs them.”

For more information on how to get involved with the shoe drive and take advantage of the discount toward a new pair of shoes, contact Bailey at (517) 439–1334.

Tennessee Titan helps out Soles4Souls

NFL Safety Chris Hope stopped by the Nashville Rescue Mission in between a busy day of team workouts on Wednesday to participate in the Soles4Souls Shoe Donation, an event benefiting local persons in need by providing them with new pairs of shoes. A strong supporter of the organization, Hope pledged $100 for every tackle he made in 2007 to Souls4Souls, accumulating in a $6,000 donation. Hope will again pledge $100 for every tackle he makes in 2008.

Held in the usual game lounge for visitors of the Mission, Soles4Souls provided 1,000 pairs of new shoes to residents of the Nashville community. The event marked the third shoe distribution within the past 10 months in the charity’s ongoing commitment to those in need of one of our most overlooked necessities — shoes. Hope helped recipients try on shoes, find the right style and locate the right sizes, all the while providing words of encouragement.

Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls Wayne Elsey commented on how much it meant to the participants to have Hope lending his time to the event.

“Having Chris involved lets them (today's recipients) know that they are important to him. To give them a pair of shoes, something that we take for granted everyday, will help them out in the future and help put a smile on their face,” said Elsey.

Inspired by the large turnout, Hope talked about what it meant to him personally to be involved with the shoe drive and why Soles4Souls is one of his favorite organizations.

“Working with Soles4Souls gives me the chance to give my time, meet people in need, and touch them in a different way. When you give someone a pair of shoes, you can see their faces light up, almost like they're a kid again,” said Hope.

“I consider it a real blessing to be involved in something like this, and I’m thankful I was able to participate.”

The Titans hosted a Shoe Drive to benefit Soles4Souls this past season versus the Houston Texans on Sunday, Dec. 2 at LP Field. Titans fans helped donate approximately 7,400 shoes during the drive to benefit events and non-profit organizations such as the Nashville Rescue Mission.

Shoe Carnival Partners with Soles4Souls

Most of us have lots of shoes we no longer wear. According to one estimate, more than one billion pair of shoes lay idle in American closets. Yet there are millions of people both here in the United States and around the world in desperate need of footwear.

That’s why Shoe Carnival is teaming up with Soles4Souls, to provide a basic, yet indispensable gift that most of us take for granted: the gift of shoes.

"The partnership with Soles4Souls is a great fit for Shoe Carnival. Their mission to provide shoes for those in need is a message that resonates with our customers," said Todd Beurman, Senior Vice President of Marketing. "We are proud to partner with Soles4Souls to help provide families all over the world with much-needed footwear," he said.

At Shoe Carnival you’ll find an open format, catchy music, and friendly associates set the stage for a wonderful shopping experience. Throw an unbelievable product assortment, great brand names and value pricing in the mix and you get a one-stop footwear destination that satisfies the needs of the entire family.

Shoe Carnival is partnering with Soles4Souls from March 30th to April 5th. Simply bring in a pair of gently worn shoes to any participating Shoe Carnival store and receive a $5 coupon good towards any thing in the store. All the footwear collected during this special charitable event will go to Soles4Souls.

“We are thrilled that Shoe Carnival has chosen to partner with Soles4Souls,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “The shoes donated by their customers will make a huge impact on the lives of thousands of people in desperate need.”

About Shoe Carnival
Shoe Carnival is a chain of 293 footwear stores located in the Midwest, South and Southeast. Headquartered in Evansville, Ind., Shoes Carnival trades on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol SCVL.

Shoes Distributed to Families in Romania

Soles4Souls partnered with Assist International to donate over 2,000 pairs of shoes to poor families in Romania.

Assist International, a non-profit based in Santa Cruz, CA has been involved with many relief efforts in Romania since 1990. One of the projects that AI has been involved with is the building of the Caminul Felix villages, a place where orphaned or abandoned children join a loving family and find community. All of the children and adults in the Caminul Felix villages were delighted to receive the new shoes.

"They were so grateful for the gift of such quality shoes," stated Bob Pagett, the President of Assist International. "You can’t imagine the blessing that these shoes were and are to the children and poor adults of Romania."

Senator Radu Tirle, one of 35 Parliament members in Romania, helped distribute some of the other shoes to children from poor families in two of the poorest villages in Bihor County.

“I just cannot explain the sweet spirit of these meetings, the joy of the people receiving these shoes,” said Senator Tirle. "The people have told me of their struggles of sending their children to school due to a lack of financial resources. They were so grateful to receive shoes for their children."

The Shoes also went to at least 55 churches who distributed them to the poor and needy. Some shoes went to a Mental Hospital for Children, some to Romanian shelters and others to the city jail in Oradea. Bob Pagett said that no shoes were left over and every pair donated was used for someone in need.

"Each distribution has a story. If over 10,000 pairs of shoes were donated, there are 10,000 stories of appreciation," he said.

Soles in Motion Wants You!

The Soles4Souls Race Team, Soles In Motion has officially launched in the Nashville Area and will launch nationwide shortly.

There will be an informational meeting at the Soles4Souls Corporate Offices on Friday, April 11th at 6:00PM for anyone interested in running for an awesome cause. The Soles In Motion Race Team is currently recruiting Team Members and Running Coaches to run the Inaugural San Antonio Rock and Roll Marathon and 1/2 Marathon on November 16, 2008. Training for this event will begin the 1st week in May.

Whether you are a couch potato or a seasoned Marathoner, we have a training program and experienced Running Coaches on board that will help you prepare to run or walk a Marathon or 1/2 Marathon. As Soles4Souls is officially partnered with Elite Racing (Management company for all the Rock and Roll Series Marathons nationwide) there will be a variety of Elite Racing events that Team Members can take part in. The next race on the Soles In Motion Calendar after San Antonio is the P.F. Chang’s Arizona Rock and Roll Marathon in January 2009!

If you live outside of the Nashville, Tennessee area and want to establish a Soles In Motion Chapter in your area, we will have a turn-key program set up to get you "up and running!"

For more information or to reserve your place at the informational meeting, please contact the Soles In Motion Program Director, Kirk at Kirkk@Soles4Souls.org. Space IS LIMITED...so don’t wait until it’s TOO LATE!

Students Collect Shoes for 5K Race

The students at Groveland Elementary in Bucks County, PA did a tremendous job collecting over 600 pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls in March. Another 100 pairs of shoes were also collected from a few YMCA locations.

The students are collecting the shoes in anticipation of the Second Annual Groveland Great Grizzly 5K Race and 1-mile Fun Run/Walk on Saturday, April 5, 2008, at 9 a.m. The registration deadline for the race this Monday, March 24. To register, go to www.greatgrizzlyrun.com/.

Proceeds from the event will go towards the Groveland Elementary Wellness Committee and the Plumsteadville Volunteer Fire Company.

It is not too late to donate shoes and help those in need. You can donate new or gently used shoes of any kind or size at the school (1100 North Easton Road) throughout March or at the event on April 5. The shoes will be shipped to Soles4Souls in the first part of April for distribution.

Great job Groveland Elementary Students!

Soles4Souls Partners with Shoetube

Shoetube.tv has exploded onto the web scene with more force than a massive Manolo Blahnik sale. The new Web 2.0 channel focuses solely on shoes the latest trends, the hottest styles, and even the best ways to use footwear in a charitable cause.

By partnering with footwear charity Soles4Souls, Shoetube.tv is aiming to also raise participation, donations, and engagement with the shoe charity.

"We are so delighted to partner with the creative minds at Powderhouse Productions, the creators of Shoetube.tv," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "We are also extreme footwear lovers from sleek running shoes to rugged work boots and the coolest sandals on the beach. But we believe that giving away a pair of new shoes to someone in need is even more satisfying than buying the latest and greatest styles, and we want to thank Shoetube.tv for giving us a channel on their website to promote participation," he said.

According to Elsey, it's clear that Americans have a love affair with shoes.

The average American woman currently owns 19 pairs, and American men own nine," he said. "What is less known is that we tossed more than 300 million pairs of shoes into our own landfills last year, while the same number of children around the world have never owned a single pair," he said.

"Buying shoes is a guilty pleasure for some women," says Marcy McCreary, director of new media marketing & business development at Powderhouse Productions. "But if women can balance their shoe buying with some shoe giving, everyone benefits."

Shoetube.tv and Soles4Souls aim to change that statistic by connecting footwear lovers with an easy way to donate their own gently worn shoes. And what if the viewers at Shoetube.tv simply can't part with one of the many shoes in their own closets? Not a problem, says Elsey. For every single dollar donated to the charity online a pair of shoes can be sent around the world, destined for delivery to a child in need. So you don't have to really part with those Manolo Blahniks...until next season's arrivals, of course.

Shoe Display Discourages Teen Smoking

Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, Illinois had 1,200 pairs of shoes scattered throughout the front lawn last Friday. Tobacco prevention staff from the DuPage County Health Department spread the shoes across the lawn as part of Project 1200, as a way to illustrate to students the number of people who die each day in the United States from tobacco and secondhand smoke.

The shoes were donated by parents throughout the school district and will be donated to Soles4Souls after the display is over.

Signs were also placed next to the shoes that read "each pair of shoes represents an American who has died due to tobacco-related illness" and "cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in America."

Students for Students - a substance-abuse prevention club on campus - partnered with the Health Department to sponsor the project. Gilda Ross, the club's adviser, said club members wanted to put focus on alcohol and other drugs this year.

Because most smokers begin using cigarettes as teenagers, Ross said raising awareness of the dangers of tobacco is urgent at Glenbard and other high schools.

Very few people begin using tobacco as adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost all first-time tobacco use has occurred by the time youth graduate from high school.

Marathon Participants Helping the Environment and Soles4Souls

Centered around St. Patrick's Day, the Virginia Beach-based Shamrock Marathon always has displayed a fair share of green.

This year, the 36th of the race, the event is going green in another way - by becoming environmentally friendly.

The Shamrock Marathon, which starts at 8 a.m. Sunday, has been certified as a Virginia Green event, the first event to receive that certification in the Commonwealth, according to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

One of the measures taken has been to provide 50 recycling receptacles for people to dispose of cans, bottles, cardboard and other materials. The traditional disposable plastic goody bags have given way to cloth backpacks.

Runners are also encouraged to donate their shoes. Those with sneakers that haven't incurred too much wear and tear will have the opportunity to donate them to Soles4Souls. (Anyone who stops by the Sports and Fitness Expo at the Virginia Beach Convention Center today or Saturday can donate shoes as well). Soles4Souls has supplied shoes to victims of natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina.

Race director Amy Frostick said she thinks the benefits are worthwhile.

"My husband (co-director Jerry) and I try to make an impact ourselves, as much as we can live green and look out for the environment," she said.

As many as 18,000 people are expected to participate in the Shamrock events, an increase of about 18 percent from 2007.

UCSB Men's Volleyball Team Hosts Drive

The UCSB (University California Santa Barbara) men's volleyball team do a lot more than just bump, set and spike. On February 20th, they collected almost 200 pairs of shoes during their first ever shoe drive. Last week, when they played the UCLA Bruins at Robertson Gymnasium in Santa Barbara, all 197 pairs of shoes and sneakers were donated to Soles4Souls.

Many thanks to those that contributed!

Allen Edmonds to partner with Soles4Souls

An estimated one billion pairs of shoes lay idle in American closets, while millions of people in world and in the U.S. do not own even a single pair. That is why Allen Edmonds decided to team up with Soles4Souls and asking you to let someone walk a mile in your shoes, literally.

Simply bring in a new or gently used pair of shoes to Allen Edmonds stores and receive a generous $50 off a new pair of Allen Edmonds! The shoes you donate can be any size, style or gender, we just ask that they have some life left. The shoe drive begins March 7th and will last until the 23rd. View AllenEdmonds to see a list of participating stores.

"We are honored to partner with Soles4Souls to support its mission to donate footwear to those in need," said Mark Birmingham, President and CEO of Allen Edmonds Shoe Corporation. "It is a simple way to make a difference in the lives of many."

Founded in 1922, Allen Edmonds manufactures premium men's footwear and accessories using the philosophy of quality, service and integrity. They view shoemaking as an art form and carefully craft each shoe by hand that includes 212 separate production steps. Allen Edmonds products are available at upscale stores worldwide and on the internet.

Donate Shoes and Save 10% with Marmi!

Marmi Shoes has the philosophy to provide women with quality footwear that looks great, feels great and fits great. Marmi has always carried the latest in footwear fashions and have already busted out their new Spring styles. Come check out some new fashionable designs in a variety of sizes. And your favorite brands are always available.

Now you can save 10% off your next purchase of Marmi shoes by simply bringing in a new or gently worn pair of shoes to any one of their twenty-nine locations. From February 15th until the 29th, Marmi will be hosting the nationwide shoe drive to be donated to Soles4Souls for distribution.

To find a store location near you, visit Marmi Shoes now!